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Saturday, November 29, 2008

Day 29 of the Golden Coffee Cup: Perspicacity

Hey, folks, things are winding down. You need to post how you did with your goals to be eligible for the "real" coffee award. Click the Golden Coffee Cup link for more info.

Today's hot cup of java high five comes from the a youthful version of the extremely talented Randy Powell.

Randy brings acute mental vision to his work. Few authors can bring such clarity and flow to their storytelling. Randy has powerful narrowed focus, writing about the world he knows -- the Northwest. His writing perspicacity reveals a razor sharp mental awareness of what makes a great story.

The thing I've really gotten from Randy's stories is that entrance into the teen cognition space. I always get the sense while reading his books that there is nothing happening that is not purposeful, layered, and wrought with meaning -- every word, every sentence, every paragraph, every chapter, a unique crafted synthesis.

His most recent title Swiss Mist is another strong addition to his impressive body of work. His books tend to be fine-crafted gems and Swiss Mist is no exception. If you want to really get a look at what it takes to create a cohesive novel, you want to go give Randy's titles a close read. Overall, be purposeful as you create. Don't cut corners. Seize the day.

My breakthrough in writing came when I learned to look inside myself and write about the things I cared and felt deeply about. Randy Powell

Last of all, think about attending the Seattle Kid-Lit Drink Night (I'm pretty sure that Douglas Adams would have been all in for an event like this)...

"Did you do Molly Blaisdell’s Golden Coffee Cup Challenge? NANOWRIMO? Did you make any kind of writing and/or illustrating goal in November?

If you hit the jackpot…if you plodded along…even if you didn’t take a single step…come to celebrate and hang out with your peers at our own Kidlit Drink Night! November 30th at Broadway Grill in Seattle (on Broadway in Capitol Hill, across from the QFC – 328-7000) at 5:30pm. Cash bar. Molly will be giving out the Golden Coffee Cup awards (Don't worry if you're from out of town, you don't have to be present to win.)"

Street parking is available, or you can park at QFC for a small parking fee (or get your ticket validated by making a purchase).